Intimate Grooming: What Women Need to Know

What to know about cleansing and hair removal in the bikini area.

You shower, you wash your hair, and you put on deodorant. But what do you know about grooming for your more intimate area? For instance, how do you deal with vaginal odor? Should you douche? What about a bikini wax?

For many women, these things are all part of daily grooming. Here is what you need to know about your options.

Cleansing Down There

The number of intimate grooming products -- from cleansers and fragrance mists to on-the-go freshening wipes -- is growing. But they’re not really necessary, gynecologists say.

Even products marketed specifically for the female genital area can sometimes irritate or upset the normal pH balance, leading to irritations and infections. O’Connor says regular bathing, changing out of wet or sweaty clothes, and avoiding repeated use of tight, restrictive clothing will prevent unpleasant odors and infections.

Harsh soaps and cleansers can also interfere with the body’s pH balance. And as much as you might enjoy those fragrant soaps and gels, it’s best just to use mild, unscented soaps and water for cleansing. Scented soaps and gels, O'Connor says, sometimes contain perfumes and other ingredients that can be irritating to delicate tissues.

There is no need to clean internally by either using intimate products (which usually come with the disclaimer “for external use only”) or douching, O'Connor says.

The word "douche" -- French for "shower" -- means to wash inside the vagina with water or a mixture of water and vinegar, water and baking soda, or water and iodine. The mixtures come prepackaged in a bottle, or you can make your own. They are then squirted into the vagina through a tube or nozzle.

But O'Connor says the vagina maintains itself by creating a mucous discharge that keeps pH balanced and supports the ‘‘healthy” bacteria that can keep infections at bay. If this balance is disrupted or washed away, you may end up with bacterial or yeast infections.

Medicated douches, vaginal suppositories, or vaginal creams can sometimes be prescribed or recommended by your doctor, if necessary, to treat certain types of infections. Otherwise, routine douching should be avoided.